Alternate Cross Class skill system

[bret]

I'm curious what others think of this rule. The idea is to allow characters to be moderately competent without being unbalanced.

Cross Class skills cost 1 skill point per rank until a character has 5 ranks. After that, the cost doubles. The maximum number of ranks is as per standard rules (i.e. half what you can buy in a class skill).

This would allow anyone to swim, climb, handle animals, etc. Only someone who had it as a class skill could truely master the skill, but anyone could get good enough to handle typical tasks.


What do people think?

 

[Crothian]

I like it, but I think you might want to have less class skills per class. I just think you need something to help balance this out.

 

[bret]

Since you still have the lower maximum number of ranks, why would you need less class skills to balance it out?

Look at someone at 3rd level buying Swim:
Rogue: Max ranks 6
Wizard/Cleric: Max ranks: 3

The person with it as a class skill is still at a significant advantage.

I'm curious what you think the balance problem would be.

 

[Crothian]

It's just a small problem. Spending one skill and getting one rank, even with the same limited max ranks is still a great addition. More people will be able to get spot and listen and other of the more powerful skills that are limited to certain classes.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

I think it's fine, but there are a few safeguards you may wish to impliment. First and foremost should be the use of Prestige Classes; The lower point cost for Cross-Class Skills will make a great many prerequisites easier to gain, and thus should be considered when designing and allowing them (6 Ranks of Hide used to cost your Fighter 12 points, now it costs 7).

Close behind that is Feats and their prerequisites.

I myself cut the 1=.5 to Cross Class, but I also played with Max Ranks a tad (Character Level + Last Class gained = Max), and I've hit nearly all of my PClasses with stiff Skill Prereqs.

I might impliment this "up until Rank 5" rule, however... I kinda like it.

 

[trepanier]

use 1/2 max level instead. After 5 ranks, maybe x2 as in the rules...

 

[bret]

Spent a little more time thinking about it, maybe it should only be cheap for the first 4 ranks. Make them pay a little more before they start picking up any Synergy bonuses in a cross class skill.

I would also exclude Speak Language from this house rule. It doesn't work like a normal skill.
As for PrC prerequisites, I would probably bump anything that isn't exclusive up a notch or two. I would have time to look at it on a case by case basis since in my mind there should be more than just meeting the prerequisites to joining one of the PrCs.

 

[Sojurn]

Well,


My group does it where cross class skills can be bought on a 1 for 1pt. basis, but you can only raise it to half the norm.

Ex. 11th lvl cleric can raise a class skill to a max of 14 (lvl+3) so now he buys a x-class skill can raise it to a max of 7. Kind of the same as the regular rules but it allows characters to be a little more well rounded, and add a lil flavor.

After all were adventurers! We are the cream of the crop, or so I read that somewhere in a 2nd edition book

 

[Plane Sailing]

I prefer the option that I use:

Cross class skills cost the same as normal (i.e. double), but the max ranks cap is the same as class skills - i.e. character level+3.


This means that a smart fighter or wizard *could* choose to blow 2pts per level and be great at spotting, or hiding, or bluffing. Normally the "half maximum" cap means that its often not even worth trying.

 

[bret]

Do you have many players buying cross class skills that high, Plane Sailing?

In my experience, it is rare for a character to put much into a cross-class skill just because the cost is so high. It is tough enough to keep a class skill maxed out, it would be extremely rare in my experience to have someone of 6th level or so with maxed out cross class skill unless it is required for a PrC of some sort. Even when it is needed for a PrC, many players will multiclass in order to pick up the skill instead.